


You’re Just A Man With The Sky Trapped In His Eyes

by writingforFUNandbecauseBoredom



Series: Naruto works [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, BAMF Minato, Chronic Pain, Grieving Namikaze Minato, His chest still needs some treatment, Minato is an idiot and doesn't realize that there are people who care for him, Minato is grieving, Minato tries to die, Serious Injuries, Time Travel, Uchiha Izuna Lives, Until Hashirama does his job
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2020-02-09 04:47:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18631120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingforFUNandbecauseBoredom/pseuds/writingforFUNandbecauseBoredom
Summary: First of all, why there no be Izuna/Minato tag???Second of all,Minato time travels back to the past, during a time where the Senju and Uchiha were still at war.When he manages to stop Izuna's death, he wasn't counting on the younger Uchiha heir to become obsessed with him.Izuna just wants to save his blue eyed savior who is obviously in pain. He also wants to marry the guy but priorities.Story is a bit fast paced.





	1. The End Of The Chase

**Author's Note:**

  * For [raendown](https://archiveofourown.org/users/raendown/gifts), [Qikdaelun](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Qikdaelun/gifts).



Two man eyed each other in a clearing, several feet away from each other.

One of them was a blonde with eyes as blue as the sky, his expression was pensive, with cold steel entering his eyes. He held a stance, eyes never leaving the others form, though not meeting his eyes, ready to bolt at any time given the opportunity. 

Uchiha Izuna was fast, and it was only thanks to Minato’s own version of Hiraishin that he had managed to outrun him so far. 

‘Dammit.’ He thinks. ‘If only I had been more subtle…’ if he only had been more subtle, he would have been able to make sure nobody recognized him in the battlefield while he ensured the Uchiha won’t be dealt a killing blow.

But Izuna had definitely seen him. Met eyes with him, too surprised to cast any short of genjutsu on Minato at the time, ensuring that Minato could escape with the quick flick of a kunai without anyone else noticing.

The blondes plan after that was to live it out in the forest, and only intervene whenever a coup seemed to be staged. Several attempts had been made even during the beginnings of peace the Senju and Uchiha shared, before Minato finally burned away the damned parasitic plant that called itself Zetsu. 

With a little help of a squadron of Uchiha that had apparently followed him, though the yin Kurama sealed inside of him played a large role. It had still been a bit harder than it should be, but that’s expected when it’s still painful for him to breathe despite Kurama’s best attempts at healing his host.

After that, with the threat of a future where Konoha would have the need to seal Kurama in the first place gone, Minato was going to disappear…

“I only want to help you, Blue.” Izuna said, calmly, patient, frustratingly determined. 

Minato hadn’t even thought of the chance that Izuna would become obsessed with him. The thought hadn’t even crossed his mind.

He did his best to interact with other people as little as possible, gathering information through elaborate ways, camping out in dark, unvisited parts of forests, getting help from fox summons whose company he very much enjoyed. 

And yet, Izuna had interacted him enough to give him a nickname, interacted enough to know some small tells he has. 

It went against the plans Minato had for himself. Plans to live with the pain in his chest somewhere in the forest, and eventually die. 

So he gives a low growl when Izuna takes one step towards him, because it's been so long since he had to actually talk, to say 'no' or 'stop', and he's too focused on the other man and finding an opening to escape to concentrate on even trying. 

Uchiha Izuna was fast on the battlefield, fast when one wasn't using Hiraishin. He was fast enough to close the distance in a split second before Minato can teleport away. 

He let out a huff of breathe wincing slightly as his heartbeat increased, his chest hurt with an increasing pain. 

"Blue, please." Izuna's voice sounded soft, pleading, his expression concerned. "You can be a citizen in Konoha. You can stop fighting if you want to. You can get whatever injury you have there looked at. Just, please, please allow us to help you." He licked his soft lips, sharingan not activated. Another step forward. 

"I don't want to force you, but Konoha is really nice you know?" The dark haired man continued. "We can help you. We can give you a home. Don't you want a home?" 

And it hurts. It hurts so bad.

A voice Minato doesn't recognize at firsf rings out through the clearing. 

"I've lost my home."

Kushina's gone. Died in his arms. He should have died along with her. His son has half of the Kurama's chakra in him. His friends are not born yet. 

His voice is hoarse, signs of disuse obvious, and the grief and pain in his heart is one that even the bijuu inside him couldn't do anything about. 

He can feel Kurama huff somewhere inside him, irritated, annoyed, but soft. Minato ignores him, though he knows it's useless in the end. 

"But you can work for a new one, can't you?" 

Another step in his direction. 

Another step away from the other.

"You can't replace it but.. is this what they would have wanted?"

No. They would have shook their heads in disapproval, Kushina would have hit him on the head for not taking care of himself. 

But he couldn't stop her death.

He might as well have condemned his son to a cursed life.

He couldn't save his students.

So many failures. He had so many failures-

"They would have been too forgiving." He hears himself whisper, and that is when he realizes Izuna had managed to get closer to him, he wasn't close enough that Minato would get startled. 

"And maybe they would be right." Izuna continues for him, getting closer and closer like the blonde man was a deer that he should he careful with. 

'Not a wrong comparison.' He thinks.

A pain, sharper than before goes through his chest, and it makes Minato double over eyes screwed shut. 

"Blue!" He hears Izuna call out and the last thing he feels is a pair of slim but strong arms draw him towards a warm chest before he succumbs to the darkness.

\--------------


	2. Going To Konoha(it's really fast paced whoops)

He blinks at the form of Kurama towering over him, in his giant nine tailed fox glory. 

"What?..."

**"Your body shut down on you, serves you right for pushing yourself like that brat."**

"Oh."

 **"Yes. _Oh_."** the bijuu hisses, lips stretched back into a sneer to reveal his several rows of teeth.

"Aw, did I get you worried?" Minato teased, a smile forming up on his face. "Don't worry, I was going to release you before I died so-"

 **"Idiot I was worried for you!"** Kurama shouts throughout the cavern, and Minato blinks, stunned.

Silence follows before Minato sits upright on the giant body of chakra water. He wasn't sure what to say. He wasn't sure if there was much he could say to that. 

**"That Uchiha will be taking us back to Konoha. And we're going to stay. As much as I hate to admit it you grew on me like an annoying fungus. I might even dare to call you a friend."** and that might be something that shocked Minato to his soul.

A blink, and two. And a soft whisper. "I'm sorry."

And a few tears slipped down his face before he regained control, because he was a special kind of idiot and Kushina would have all the right to drop kick him for what he has been pulling ever since he’s been stuck in a different timeline.

 **"You better be."** the nine tailed fox says, lying down in a circle around the human, swarming him with his warm soft red fur. 

**”If not for MY feelings, at least think of what Riru and Kiru would have felt if they had found out you have been deliberately neglecting yourself.”**

Minato smiles ruefully at the memory of the twin three tailed foxes. They would have most likely mother hen him until he had went back to Konoha. He can already hear Riru yipping “We have no idea how your body works you dumb human! _Sage_ I hope they beat some sense of self preservation into you there.” Yeah, they would definitely have been angry.

“Point taken.” He mutters.

He ran a hand through the red fur before speaking again. “By the way, can you tell me what’s going on out there?” 

**”Well, the Uchiha brat is carrying your body back to Konoha. Bridal style.”** Kurama adds the last part with slyness, hearing his host let out a noise of embarrassment, listening to it with glee. **”Congratulations, you have a Prince Charming~”**

“Ugh ‘Rama, please don’t.” Minato rubbed a hand across his face. 

And tried very hard not to think about the warmth he had felt when Izuna had wrapped his arms around his shoulders. 

The flash of memory that came with Kushina easily pushed away the embarrassment and warmth, leaving silent horror behind.

Kurama obviously takes notice of his mood change, and chooses to ignore it.

 **”What other news to report…welp! Today is a sunny day with 70% of being cloudy-“** Minato snorts at the voice Kurama uses, and could feel a victorious thrill go through their bond **”-With chances of past former stray dropping in from the sky and starting a fight.”**

The only reason why the blonde doesn’t react at first is because of how Kurama doesn’t falter, or change his voice from it’s cheerful tone. 

“Wait _what_?”

——————————————

“What are you doing with him _Uchiha_?” Kakuzu almost snarls as he speaks. He had been enjoying the peace of not being bound to a village, the Takigakure village to be more specific, for three years now. 

And he owed the blonde man in Izuna Uchiha’s arms for that. 

(Kakuzu gasped in pain as he painfully made his way back to his village, struggling from the aftermath of fighting Hashirama Senju.

He should be feeling severely dishonored, because the man had let him live. 

Instead, all the shinobi could feel was immense relief for being alive. 

‘A rest.’ He thinks. ‘I should take a rest. I’m far enough from Konoha territory.’ 

So he crawls, crawls until he reaches into empty cavern underneath a tree.

And as he is about to go in there he hears the yipping of foxes and senses an overwhelming amount of chakra that almost rivals Konoha's first Hokage.

Then he blacks out.) 

The Uchiha's eyes instantly activate the Sharingan, lips pulled back into a snarl as he holds the blonde man in his arms closer to him and Tobirama Senju pulls out a katana getting in front of him. 

“You’re the assassin from Takigakure.” The Senju snarls, teeth pulled back and contempt deep in his voice at the memory of the assassination attempt on his brother.

Kakuzu draws back his own katana. “Don’t mention that villages name in front of me. I left it a long time ago.” He spats, and goes into a kenjutsu stance.

“So you’re a nomad now.” Tobirama says before he gets into a stance himself.

——————————————

“THAT IDIOT!!!”

**”Uh-huh.”**

“KURAMA LET ME OUT BEFORE THEY END UP KILLING EACH OTHER!”

**”Hm let me think-“**

“You know what I’m getting out myself then-“

**”Now _you_ are being the idiot now that would kill you- ok let me just-“**

——————————————

Izuna doesn’t register the moment the body in his arms moved.

The two man that were moments from each others throat do not register the hand that grab the both of their heads.

Not until both of their heads are smacked together that is.

Izuna blinks.

Tobirama and Kakuzu groan from where they lay on the forest ground, both holding their heads.

“Fucking _Sage_ blondie-“ Kakuzu grits through his teeth as said man stood over both of them, blue eyes gleaming with steel, even as he winced in pain.

One sharp glare is enough to placate the former Takigakure-nin. It’s all he needs to understand he had done something wrong somewhere, that he had misjudged a situation. It’s a look that made him think of teachers, or parents.

“I-Wait-So you weren’t being kidnapped?” 

At this Izuna finally manages to find his voice. 

“Actually, we were hoping to get him some help back in Konoha.” 

Tobirama huffs as he stands upright, shaking his head as he recovers quickly to throw a quick glare at the man.

“How do you two know each other?” He asks, a warning in his tone, though Kakuzu can also see wariness in those eyes as he faces the blond man.

Kakuzu can understand that wariness completely. Blondie could be terrifying when he was serious. Even when he was holding a hand to his chest, looking pale with dark circles under his eyes… 

He looked worse than the last time they had met.

“Before I explain that I want to know what you were going to do with blondie.”

———————————————

Today was surreal.

Izuna was able to finally wear down the man, his savior, that he had been chasing after for several years now.

Izuna might not have his rivals- not enemy, rival, ever since Konoha was established- Hiraishin technique that was effective even against the Sharingan, and Blue might- as he had taken to calling him ever since fourth time he had managed to meet him- have a technique that, according to Tobirama, was a superior version of the Senju’s Hiraishin…

But Izuna was just as stubborn as any Uchiha can ever be.

The fact that the man seemed to be practically deteriorating every time Izuna caught a glimpse of him had only driven him further towards his goal.

When Izuna was able to finally wear down Blue, he was terrified by the sight before him. Terrified by how pained he himself felt from how Blue winced. Terrified that the man would get away from him and that would be the last the Uchiha would ever see of him again.

Terrified by how half dead the man looked.

It was simultaneously a great relief and concern when the man had collapsed. 

Hearing Blue’s voice for the first time he had met him was hardly hid biggest focus.

The second event that made today surreal was Blue awakening to stop a fight from happening, though it had obviously costed him if the way he visibly pressed a hand to his chest were to go by. Which made Izuna immediately offer for the four of them to stop and set up camp for the night.

Which leads to the four of them huddled around a camp fire. Kakuzu, as the former Takigakure-nin introduced himself, set with Blue on the opposite of Tobirama and Izuna, telling the tale of how Blue had apparently helped him see a new perspective in life.

“So yeah I kind of owe my life to blondie here, so I visit him sometimes and help where I can. We sort of have a friendship going on-“ Blue raises an eyebrow “-Oh come on you know you enjoy my company!” 

Izuna feels…conflicted, by how Kakuzu spoke familiarly with Blue, though he didn’t quite understand why he would be bothered with this.

He’s actually glad that Blue had some people looking out for him. Fox summons can only offer companionship so far before one goes mad without at least a bit of interaction with another human being. 

“Anyways I’m glad you’ve managed to capture his stubborn ass. God knows Konoha would do him some good.” Kakuzu continued, ignoring the roll of eyes Blue did. 

“I-We hope so.” Izuna says, ignoring the pointed look Tobirama shoots at him at his correction. Izuna ignores him. 

Sky blue eyes briefly lock with onyx dark ones, the feeling of hope, protectiveness and possessiveness rise from the pits of his stomach, and he wants to go over towards the man, wants to hug him, wants to know if that hair was as soft as it looked-

He wants to do anything that could dispel the carefully hidden grief in those eyes.

“Starting with that chest wound.” He says, eyes pointedly going towards the blonde mans chest even as the other stiffens, blue eyes carefully avoiding the others gaze.

What he doesn’t ask is if he was wounded because of him. Because Izuna wasn’t fast enough to evade Tobirama’s blade. Because the Sharingan couldn’t do anything against Tobirama’s Hiraishin. 

Unexpectedly the man speaks.

"It's an old wound." And it's raspy, just like how it was in the clearing, and it fascinates him all the same.

To anyone it would sound like a random piece of information, given for the sake of speaking. 

But Izuna was a master at reading in between lines, living with his emotionally constipated brother and all.

He knows what the man says is that it's a wound not given by Tobirama, but by someone else, long before he had saved Izuna from a fatal injury.

Kakuzu speaks "Well I'll be that's the first time I've heard you speak. Should I be jealous?" 

In response blue eyes look upwards with a sigh.

"Hey, that's not cute." The nomad shinobi whines, though he does not press further.

Izuna feels something warm rise in his chest, because _he’s_ the one that first heard the man speak. 

He feels pride and honor, as well as joy at this discovery. Even if the words the man spoke just now weren’t just for him, but for his rival who had subtly relaxed besides him as well, he felt like there was something special in the way that the man forced himself to speak, just for the sake of reassuring Izuna…

Being appreciative was something he had gotten strongly from his father.

———————————————

Minato had slipped back into the shared space with Kurama overnight, his body exhausted and obviously pushed beyond what it should have, his mind shutting down effectively in order to rest.

In his dreams Kurama curls around him in a smaller fox form, fields of green surrounding them and the blue sky stretching wide across the sky.

From the corner of his eyes he thinks he sees the glint of familiar red strands, before Kurama yips playfully effectively taking away his focus away from the haunting memories and towards the small pleasant dream Kurama creates in their shared mindscape.

He doesn’t wake up when Izuna picks him up, doesn’t wake up when he’s bought to Konoha, doesn’t wake up when the severity of his chest injury is discovered and Hashirama saves him from an untimely death.

He wakes to the soft expression of Uchiha Izuna, and almost cries discovering that he can breathe properly for the first time in ten years.


	3. Chapter 3: Adjusting(Part 1)

**Silence**

Minato is… adjusting.

Not to Konoha, more to having people around him.

And, well, moving around constantly had its ups and downs, downs being that he didn't have anyone to trust, and that he was constantly anxious to leave, to move, because you never know where enemies might be and what you might be missing out… there were also matters such as food and water at first, but he had the chance to improve his Fūinjutsu while traveling across the whole Elemental Nations, after that it was easy to prepare himself edible food without worrying about leaving behind a trail. 

Lack of companionship was never one of the downs of being on the run though.

Kurama was always in his head, for one. ( **I’m practically a voice inside your head that’s pretty sad on companionship standards, brat.** ) even though they hadn’t gotten along at first, Minato’s first contact with the Bijuu being out of desperation or because of extreme chakra exhaustion. 

He had admittedly felt immensely less lonely when Riru and Kiru decided to stick by him, and after a while decided to make a contract with him, allowing him to summon them whenever he needs them. Or whenever Kurama decides he needs them. Most of the time they come of their own accord.

Which made some complications arise.

The most Minato had spent time with were three foxes, counting one that lives inside his head. 

So while interacting with Kakuzu and having to spend sometimes in villages for the sake of research or a place to temporarily ensured that he knew how to act civilized he still… forgot certain things.

Like how loud a humans presence is supposed to be. 

Blue eyes blinked, wide in shock as they stare into equally shocked red eyes of Tobirama, who had plunged a Kunai right besides Minato’s head onto the wall, a thin scratch on his cheeks.

Minato could feel his heartbeat thudding in his chest over a mile, having narrowly missed death.

The Senju immediately wrenches away from the other shakily, Kunai still in grasp and back hitting the desk where several scrolls lay, which the younger clan heir was looking into.

“ _Fucking Sage-_ Minato-“ his voice sounded rough. “Don’t sneak around like that- I could have _killed_ you- I didn’t even sense your presence, actually, wait.” A look of curiosity cast over his eyes, and Minato has spent enough time in the shared Senju-Uchiha compound to know that look. 

Tobirama Senju’s curiosity could almost be on par with Orochimaru’s, though the man had certainly more self control than the Snake Sannin Minato knew. Just a bit.

“You erased your presence completely. How?” is the question that falls from the albino mans lips, predictably.

Minato, ignoring the screaming in his brain and urge to simply summon one the fox twins in favor of speaking, speaks, because he promised himself to start speaking after Kakuzu and Izuna commented on his communication skills. 

“Foxes tend to avoid leaving a trail behind.” and his words still come out cryptic, and he can’t quite stop the grimace that comes to his face, but Tobirama’s eyes shine with certain understanding.

“Ah.” A pause. “Where are your fox summons, anyhow? I don’t think we had the pleasure of personally meeting them yet.”

“Izuna likes taking up their time.” 

Tobirama instantly raises an eyebrow, crossing arms and giving a meaningful look Minato can’t quite understand. 

“So you only summon them for Izuna?”

Carefully, Minato does not react to the implications behind those words, making sure his expression doesn’t change even as Kurama sends waves of mirth through their bond.

“Well, they have taken a certain liking to the children around the village…” He’s pretty sure Riru is forming an organization of children specializing in genjutsu, but he doesn’t voice this concern. It would be troublesome if a human tried to pursue a fox away from doing what it wants to do after all.

“Ah. I see. Is there a reason why you’re here?” 

Minato blinked “Yes, actually. I was wondering if you would be interested in testing something out-“

A few hours later there is the sound of unholy shrieking from Madara’s room, and Izuna glances up from where he is sitting on the porch of the backyard, a very relaxed almost boneless Kiru in his lap to see Minato sitting besides him, looking slightly disgruntled and tips of his front hair singed.

“Did you startle nii-san again?” Izuna asks, amusement in his voice, ignoring the shouting match that starts to take place between Tobirama and Madara.

Minato makes a disgruntled expression and huffs. 

“We’re going to have to put a bell on you at this rate.” Izuna says, eyeing him in a way that seemed calculating. 

Minato visibly pouts at that while Kiru cackles from where she is seated.

“You should tie it around his neck!” She says mirthfully, grinning her fox grin at the blond kits misery.

——————————————————

**Touch**

The one thing that Izuna noticed the most about Minato, after the man managed to gain a healthier complexion and was involved in some of the workings of Konohagakure- if Izuna didn’t know any better he would have thought Tobirama and Hashirama were about to marry Minato the minute he made polite, useful and amazing suggestions, it would be a shame if he had to break the peace they had worked so hard for…- the Uchiha noticed how the blonde seem to have an avoidance to touch.

Of course, not complete avoidance. Minato has touched others when it was necessary. In situations when someone was in danger, or when no one else is there to provide a much needed touch...

(The ceiling is fallings, eggplant smell almost making him throw up, if not the pain of overusing his eyes.

He sees red blood dripping from Blue’s mouth.

Vegetation sprouting from his back.

Izuna yells in rage and sets everything on pitch black fire,

And is only stopped by a hand on his wrist from the same man who now seems to have turned into a candle flame, hair floating in a way that looked like ears, eyes blazing violet, stature stronger than Izuna had ever seen before.

Izuna recognizes him all the same, and regains his thoughts.)

Anyhow, while it’s not uncommon for Shinobi to be averse to touch…

Izuna wonders, as he gazes at the slightly tanned skin of Minato’s, when the last time he had a human touch was. 

Perhaps he only had a the bijuu and the fox summons for company ever since he had landed in their timeline?-Time travel is still a weird concept for him, but it makes sense in Izuna’s head. In a sad way, the mans presence feels out of place, no matter how integrated he has become in Konoha’s life- 

Who did he last held hands with?

Did someone hold his hand when he got the fatal, still healing wound, in his chest?

Was there someone who stood over him, holding his hand?

Was there anyone who cried for him?

Two months since Minato had moved in here, and Izuna is sitting with him on the backyard, enjoying each others silence with a tea set between them. Izuna had just gotten back from dealing with Uchiha Clan affairs, which involved taking the elders out of commission and working more on monitoring places where diverse clans can interact it, appointing the right people to the right places… and Minato had been making the financial plans for the village, speaking of potential allies, making innovative ideas regarding the education of the children, basically helping Madara and Hashirama deal with the whole villages affairs.

Judging by how his elder brothers eyes glint whenever Minato seems to have an idea regarding the education department, and how Hashirama looked contemplative when the time traveller interacted with children, Izuna has a vague idea of where the blondes future will end up being.

Whatever, not what matters right now. It’s so easy to get lost in thoughts.

‘I wonder..’ he thinks as he continues eyeing the others hands. Untouched, save for the marks of a fighter. ‘Maybe…’

“Can I hold your hand?” He blurts out before he his mind catches up with his brain. 

Azure eyes blink before looking towards the other wearily, and Izuna tries his best not to get lost in them as he continues, doing his best to stay nonchalant.

“I want to test something… if you don’t mind.” Unable to stand the pressure of the others gaze the Uchiha looked towards somewhere else, regret starting to fall heavily across his shoulders. 

There is a contemplative silence.

Then it’s broken with a “Alright.” And there is still some weariness in the voice, but Izuna looks up to meet the others gaze and sees tentative trust.

When Izuna slides his fingers beneath the others, thumb running against foreign skin, and simply lets it stay there, watching how the other tenses slightly at the touch, finger pads uncertainly pressing against a paler palm, before Izuna arranges each other palms skillfully in a way that is comfortable for them both.

‘Oh.’ He thinks, when he sees azure eyes cloud with repressed want, longing and something unbearably vulnerable. 

’Strange.’ He squeezes the others hand and moves closer, pushing the tray holding the tea set aside, ignoring how the other seems to get startled as their shoulder brush.

‘I can’t seem to remember the last time I held someones hand either.’ 

Later on Mito finds the pair sleeping against each other, a blonde head tucked under a pale chin, hands still held together. The Uzumaki-Senju blinks before smiling widely similar to that of a foxes grin as she turns around to feed her husband the gossip. 

She would let the two men rest, but the cost of such luxury will be a few harmless rumors and embarrassment.

—————————————————

It was during one of the times Minato was visiting the Chinoike clan that he heard of it the first time.

“So, you and the Uchiha heir?” En Oyashiro, Chinoike’s clan head, asked him casually with a raised eyebrow from where he was sitting across Kohona’s -reluctant- Academy Headmaster.

Minato blinked in confusion causing Kakuzu, the third party of their meet and greet to huff and without looking up from where he was sharpening a Kunai says “There is a rumor that Uchiha Izuna is courting you.” 

“Ah.” then. “Ah!” Eyes widening with realization, and pink dusting his cheeks. 

“So it’s true then?!” Oyashiro almost slammed his cup down, eyes blazing. “Has he done anything to you?! Is he forcing you?! Taking advantage of you?!”

“No! Nothing is going on!” Minato waved his hand in a placating manner, face turning as red as his late wife’s hair. “We’re just friends!”’’

“I’ve heard you’ve held hands!”

“That’s-He said he wanted to try something-“

“He’s taking advantage of your innocence! Damn Uchiha! Why I ought to-“

“Oyashiro-san!-“

Kakuzu hummed, contemplating how he would be giving the shovel talk to someone possessing the Sharingan. 

Somewhere back at the Uchiha compound, Izuna sneezed over his paperwork.

“Damn-I better not be getting sick…” he muttered, missing the secretive grin Tobirama hid behind his hand as he appeared to seriously work.

The Chinoike clan was one that was saved by a tragic fate that they would have met were it not for a mysterious Fox Sage guiding them to Konoha, and protecting them all the while. This was a long story, but to keep it short, the Chinoike clan revere Minato to the point it made Tobirama wonder if they saw the blue eyed man as a God. 

He’s sure that once the rumors spread, the Chinoike clan will be sure to traumatize Uchiha Izuna. Tobirama almost felt bad for him, but really, Minato had become almost like a younger brother for him. This saved him the shovel talk.


	4. Chapter 4: Adjusting(Part 2) and Stay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> yas i'm done

**Father**

Uzumaki Mito, besides being exceptionally skilled at Fuuinjutsu, was also a people person. 

It’s one of the few reasons why she had instantly decided that the Uzumaki-Senju marriage wouldn’t be so bad after all the moment she met Senju Hashirama, and she has yet to change her mind.

Among many other things, she knows a former father when she sees one.

She watched Namikaze plaster on a fake smile that was enough to fool the children he almost teasingly trained, but not enough to hide the pained longing from her eyes.

And it makes her wonder, which one was more painful? Not knowing wether your child is okay or not or knowing that your child may as well be out of your reach forever?

Mito wasn’t sure if there was more to it, but she knows that’s a start of it at the very least.

It was finally a brat from the Shimura clan, Danzo if she remembers correctly, that gives a frustrated yell, attempting a wild blow at their sensei while his Uchiha and Akimichi teammates hiss in surprise at the sudden break in formation.

Their sensei is quick to take them down and regard them with a smile that could send a chill down even the bravest shinobi’s spine. 

It was another skill of his really, making a smile look down right terrifying. Not even Hashirama was able to master such a thing to this degree. It tells Mito that this man must have been an important asset, attending diplomatic meetings, and learning since long ago to put up a mask to prevent things going south during said meetings.

She had witnessed first hand how he persuaded the newly formed hidden villages into an alliance.

‘Although.’ she mused as she watched Namikaze lecture the Shimura gaki, saying something that seems to make all three of the Genin go rigid. 

“…I hope that you don’t make the same mistake.” His eyes looked cold and unforgiving as he finished the sentence with a stony expression, an expression the time traveller adopted when he’s remembering one of the many mistakes the future could have. A mistake he’s determined 

“Hai… Minato-sensei…” muttered the boy, stiff, and eyes moving to somewhere else. 

The blondes serious expression melts with a smile, and the Genin seem to immediately relax, Kagami giddily asking if they could have another Fuiinjutsu lesson. 

Mito was admittedly fond of that child. So curious and full of life. And most importantly, open about his feelings. An unorthodox Uchiha.

Another thing that makes Minato a good teacher, she thinks, is that he takes it all in stride, and instead of thinking of Kagami as an ‘Uchiha’, thinks of him as another student. Another child, eager to learn, asking for help.

After he gives the rest of the day off for the Genin with a pleasant smile, giving last instructions for things they should practice on, and disappears from the training ground, leaving leaves behind.

“Is there anything I could help you with Mito-sama?”

She tenses, eye twitching before immediately relaxing as she addresses her companion, settling a hand on her growing stomach. 

“Bell, Namikaze.” She says dryly, full of meaning, and the blonde has the gal to sheepishly rub the back of his neck. 

“Apologies Mito-sama I swear I’m working on it.” 

“I will believe it when the only way to find you isn’t following startled screaming.” 

Satisfied with the embarrassment she caused the man, she went onto more important matters. 

“I wanted to talk to you of… important matters.” 

She hides a smirk as she feels the activation of privacy seals. Always so thorough, the young man.

“How may I assist you?” There was a serious look on his face. 

The Shodaime’s wife takes her time contemplating how she should ask this of him while Namikaze, ever the gentleman, calmly waits for her to speak. 

“If things go well, Hashirama and I will be having a child in two months.” she pauses. “And while I do trust Tobirama and Izuna to do their best when it comes to my child, I fear they may spoil them, or have too much expectations…”

She ignores the understanding grimace that passes over Namikaze’s face. Her brother-in-law was a disaster when it came to civilian children, and Izuna can be too easily swayed by doe eyes, just like how her husband is. Uchiha Madara outright refused being the God father before it could even be offered and all parties were in agreement. 

“You would know how Izuna is.” she quips, never too miss a chance to lightly tease. 

“I wanted to know if you would like to be the second God father to my child.” 

“I will have to decline.” He says immediately after. 

Without missing a beat she retaliates. “And why would that be?” 

“I would be…unsuitable….”

“I know a former father when I see one Minato.” and she says it softly, speaking the younger ones name for the first time, watching how he goes tense, eyes pained with guilt and grief. 

“Unless you tell me what makes you think you would be unsuitable to be in charge of my child when times are dark, I’m afraid I won’t back down from assigning you as god father. Hashirama’s been planning to make you one for a while now.”

And it’s the truth. Namikaze Minato, if the Kage decides for him to be the God father to their child, can have no right to refuse. 

There is silence for a while, Minato’s face covered by his hair before he finally exhales, rubs a hand over his face, looking tired and old in a way he shouldn’t.

“I..” He begins, forcefully, before pausing, thinking. “I was the Yondaime Hokage.” He finally says, and Mito hides her shock, waiting for him to continue instead. “I had a wife, and she was the Jinchuuriki for the Kyuubi at that time.”

Jinchuuriki, body container for Bijuu. It’s all Minato had explained regarding the seal on his chest, alongside the good relationship he has with half of the Nine tails chakra and how the Bijuu were used as a way that made the Hidden villages even in power, ensuring peace. Although, according to Minato it hadn’t quite worked out.

“The night I had gained that chest wound…” he trails off, blue eyes growing distant. “That night, Kushina had given birth to our son, and I was in charge of making sure the Kyuubi didn’t escape and start rampaging.”

“I can’t explain the feeling I had got when I was finally able to hold our child, only for a masked man to-“ and there is a sharp intake of breath and he closes his eyes, fist clenching and unclenching at his side. 

“Long story short, the Kyuubi ended up rampaging, and as Hokage I had to make a choice.” when he opened his eyes again, Mito felt a sense of dread.

“Either I sealed the Kyuubi completely inside of me, and died along with it… Or I burdened our son with the life of becoming a Jinchuuriki, ensuring that Konohagakure wouldn’t lose its Bijuu.” 

“Considering that I only have half of Kyuubi’s chakra in me… I think the choice I have made is obvious.”

Silence envelopes them, as blue eyes looked into Mito’s. 

After a while she finally spoke.

“Why your own child?”

And Namikaze smiled in a way that looked more of a grimace than a smile. “If nothing else, I believed that he would be able to master the Kyuubi’s power. Though now that sounds more of an excuse-“

“Then I can’t think of anyone better fit for the role of God father to my child.” She cuts him off smoothly, and watches how he looks shocked before continuing “The fact that you believe in your child speaks volumes. I can imagine how your son must be your fan in that timeline. I bet that even if he doesn’t know who you are, even if he goes through hard ship, he would be proud of what you’ve done as Hokage.”

When Minato continued to be silent, she continued “Minato. You’re a great father. Greater than most I would know of.” Senju Butsuma and Uchiha Tajima she hadn’t had the displeasure of meeting, thankfully, but Hashirama and Madara’s expressions when asked of them were enough for her to drop it, as it tell enough. 

“In the long term, you would have been condemning your child to a unfavorable life if Konoha had lost the Kyuubi. Konohagakure would have been left defenseless, and politically vulnerable. I cannot say which one is worse but your son would have suffered a new kind of pain if you hadn’t done what you had done.” 

When she takes his limp hands and drags the man into a hug, a hand stroking blonde hair as Minato hid his face in her shoulder, she blames it on her hormones.

When she feels her clothing dampen, she doesn’t mention it.

And when two months later, her child is safely delivered, she makes sure the person holding her child right after herself and Hashirama is Minato.

And when he looks at the small thing in awe, blue eyes shining with fondness, protectiveness, and a peace that not even Izuna was quite able to bring, she prided herself for on her people person skills. 

——————————————

**Stay**

Izuna frowns as he looked around the crowd, frustration building up inside of him. The only thing that was keeping him from activating his dojutsu was because he didn’t want to cause any alarm. 

Well, it’s not necessarily needed practice, hiding the Sharingan that is, but the older generation of Uchiha are too used to activating their bloodline limit only in emergencies. 

The younger generation however…

“MINATO-SENSEI I SEE YOU THERE DON’T THINK YOU CAN RUN FOREVER!!!” Uchiha Kagami shrieks furiously, running past him so fast almost like he appeared out of _no where_ as his entire presence goes out of existence the moment he goes into a crowd again, the only indication that his teammates are following him being the faint sound of bells jingling from where they’re tied around the Genin’s wrists.

Izuna frowns further.

Besides being more relaxed about their dojutsu abilities, the younger generation had also taken after some of Minato’s fox like tendencies, which includes completely erasing their presence. 

Tobirama had pulled at his hair when he had discovered this, most likely deeply regretting making Minato the head of the academy. 

Izuna growled as he ignored the amused looking crowd and took to the rooftops, keeping an ear out for the sound of bells as he ensures no sound came from his feet. Or for the absence of the sound of bells because Minato had taken it as a _fucking challenge_ the moment Izuna kept to his promise on making him wear a bell. 

He remembers fondly how Minato had gained a evil glint in his eye the moment Izuna managed to trick him into wearing a collar that has a bell attached to it. 

_”Oh fuck you-“ Minato said almost heatedly, words breaking off with a moan when Izuna gives a particularly sharp thrust and remarks “I’m the one fucking you.”_

Growling lowly he activates the Sharingan to search for at least a sliver of his fiancee’s suppressed chakra. The blonde did at least that much when he wasn’t that serious about staying hidden, a small blessing considering that he was also constantly on the move because he liked challenging his students.

But most of all, he liked challenging Izuna whenever this time of the year comes around.

It was like a ritual, a ritual only he and Minato were actually aware of. Well, mostly. Mito, Tobirama, Kakuzu and Oyashiro were cunning enough to recognize their patterns, and they always made preparations before hand to not get caught in the cross fire of their chase. 

Of course, Minato’s students certainly weren’t aware of this particular ritual. No. The near graduating Genin were usually riled up from a prank their beloved sensei would pull on them, because _Sage_ if there was anything else Minato had picked from spending most of his time with foxes it was being a trickster, and then they would futilely chase after with demands of retribution. It was something that happened in an irregular pattern, since Minato liked to keep his pranks a surprise.

Izuna would feel bad for the brats if it weren’t for the fact that his ears caught Akimichi comment on how Izuna and Minato didn’t know subtlety when it came to their relationship, and Shimura and Kagami had agreed. 

Serves them right, as if Izuna would be bothered to _not_ flaunt his engagement to the fast beauty Namikaze Minato.

He felt a grin stretch across his face as he separates from the Genin who aren’t quite as skilled at hiding their chakra signatures as their mentor are, though they would easily fool enemy Shinobi that don’t possess the Sharingan. 

Having a fox for a lover may have made Izuna scarily good at picking out enemy nins. That is one among the many reasons why the hidden villages wouldn’t dare to upstart a war with Konohagakure or her allies. 

Thankfully, Kagami wasn’t as skilled as Izuna was when it came to picking out one such as Minato, following the false trail left by his sensei.

This was a sign of their ritual continuing in the Forest of Death. 

Which meant Minato will be taunting him more openly.

And as Izuna launched himself towards the gigantic bodies of Mokuton, trailing after the more obvious signs of chakra, ‘I will never let him go.’ He thought.

And when he’s rolling over on the forest floor with his lover, Minato’s giggles like music in his ears as Izuna kisses his neck and tickles his sides in revenge for avoiding him for so long, ‘He’s staying and I’m so glad.’ He thought.

He doesn’t think he can ever recall a life where a man with the sky trapped in his eyes didn’t exist.


End file.
